Pampered soles

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By Dana Hudepohl

Feet take a beating year-round. In the summer, sun, heat and humidity all take their toll, but feet fare no better in winter, fall or spring, says Perry H. Julien, D.P.M., president-elect of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine in Rockville, Md. "They're out of sight under shoes and socks, so they're out of mind." But with these five tips, you can easily pamper your feet no matter the season.

Scrub your feet every day.
Keep a nailbrush in your shower, along with a pumice stone or foot file, and spend a few minutes focusing on your feet every time you bathe. Scrub under your nails, and rub callused, rough areas with the file or stone for up to one minute. (You can also add an exfoliating scrub to this skin-smoothing routine.) "But don't scrub so hard that you rub the skin raw," says Dawn Harvey, a nail technician at Spa Jardin in Tampa, Fla.

Some callus is necessary to help protect your feet from too much friction in shoes, so also stay away from using a razor on your heels (that goes for having it done in a salon, too). It can lead to infection if you puncture skin or use instruments not sterilized properly, adds Denise Florjancic, a nail technician at John Robert's Hair Studio & Spa in Cleveland. Your tools: Sally Hansen Smoothing Foot Scrub ($6; www.sallyhansen.com) or Bath & Body Works Foot Pumice/Brush ($4; 800-395-1001).

Clip your nails the right way.
If you leave your nails too long, they can hit the edge of your shoes and bruise. If you clip them too short, you may trigger ingrown toenails. The best advice: Every three or four weeks, after you've showered or soaked your feet, use small clippers to trim, cutting straight across, says Florjancic. If you start to notice redness or inflammation around the nail (early signs of an ingrown nail), clean out the area by soaking your foot in vinegar diluted with water, recommends Lori Hillman, D.P.M., a podiatrist in The Woodlands, Texas. If the condition persists, see a podiatrist, who can clean and drain the infection using specifically designed, sterilized tools and prescribe antibiotics if necessary. Your tools: Tweezerman toenail clippers ($2; 800-874-9898) or Revlon Deluxe Nail Clip ($1.80; www.revlon.com).

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